Equipment - tools of the trade: May 2005 Archives

Most consumers and professionals are more than happy with the current generation of 6-8 megapixel digital cameras. The quality is good enough for 13"x19" prints, memory usage is reasonable, and the price/performance curve is excellent. There's signs that the market in Japan and the United States is saturating as customer demand is being sated.

There is one market segment that appears to be heating up: the battle over high-end digital cameras intended primarily for studio use with 10 megapixel+ sensors. The prices -- as well as margins -- are high and many companies are starting to release models. Here's the current line-up as I see it:

My current research is on disability activism in Japan and the United States. This article discusses the equipment that I carry when I do field interviews. My kit is optimized for size and weight. Everything fits into a regular backpack. If I know I won't need the computer to write notes, then the camera and iPod fit into a small handbag.